Intelligent network access controller and method

ABSTRACT

An intelligent network access controller coupled to wireless communication hardware controls wireless communications in a targeted coverage area of a local wireless network overlaying an existing wireless network. The controller controls the hardware to provoke wireless devices within the targeted coverage area of the local wireless network to attempt to register with the intelligent network access controller; receives, through the hardware, registration signals and identification information from the wireless devices; locks the wireless devices to the intelligent network access controller; determines an access category for each of the wireless devices based on the received registration signals and identification information; maintains first access category wireless devices locked to the controller while the first access category wireless devices remain in the targeted coverage area of the local wireless network; and unlocks second category wireless devices by controlling the hardware to signal the second access category wireless devices to attempt access to the existing wireless network.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to: U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/939,403, now pending, entitled“Intelligent Network Access Controller and Method,” filed Jul. 11, 2013,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/507,675,now U.S. Pat. No. 8,509,740, entitled “Intelligent Network AccessController and Method,” filed Jul. 19, 2012, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/318,020, now U.S. Pat. No.8,437,741, entitled “Intelligent Network Access Controller and Method,”filed Dec. 19, 2008; the disclosures of these three applications arehereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The technical field is wireless communications.

BACKGROUND

A key performance indicator of any wireless network is coverage. Inaddition to providing an evolving set of features to customers, the mostsuccessful wireless networks are those that provide ubiquitous coverageand service to as broad a base of subscribers as possible. Because ofthe emphasis on coverage, these same networks seldom, if ever, providemethods of restricted or controlled access for targeted areas in thenetwork. However, with heightened security concerns, and for otherreasons, targeted wireless access restriction may be an importantconsideration, especially in a localized area, and/or for specific timeperiods.

SUMMARY

An intelligent network access controller for use within a targeted areaor areas provides communications services across some or all relevantwireless technologies and spectrums to subscribers having wirelesscommunications devices. The controller produces the targeted coveragearea, wherein wireless access limitations may be enabled by usinginterfaces for receiving and sending digital messaging by the wirelesscommunications devices; an identification module that determines anidentity of a wireless communications device; an access module thatreceives the identity and determines an access level for the wirelesscommunications device; and a locking module that implements logic thataccepts, releases, or allows service to selected wireless communicationsdevices to the controller based on the determined access level.

An intelligent network access controller coupled to wirelesscommunication hardware controls wireless communications in a targetedcoverage area of a local wireless network overlaying an existingwireless network. The controller controls the hardware to provokewireless devices within the targeted coverage area of the local wirelessnetwork to attempt to register with the intelligent network accesscontroller; receives, through the hardware, registration signals andidentification information from the wireless devices; locks the wirelessdevices to the intelligent network access controller; determines anaccess category for each of the wireless devices based on the receivedregistration signals and identification information; maintains firstaccess category wireless devices locked to the controller while thefirst access category wireless devices remain in the targeted coveragearea of the local wireless network; and unlocks second category wirelessdevices by controlling the hardware to signal the second access categorywireless devices to attempt access to the existing wireless network.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description refers to the following figures in which likenumerals refer to like items, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless network incorporating anexemplary intelligent network access controller;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary interface for enabling wireless accessrestrictions using the controller of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary interface for enabling emergency access;

FIG. 4 illustrates a single technology implementation of the controllerof FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 illustrates a multiple technology implementation of thecontroller of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate an embodiment of a method for creating a localwireless network and for controlling wireless communications using thelocal wireless network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A key performance indicator of any wireless network is coverage. Themost successful wireless networks are those that have ever-expandingcoverage, independent of time, to provide ubiquitous service to any andall subscribers and roaming users. Because of the emphasis on coverage,these same networks seldom, if ever, operate so as to restrict access.However, with heightened security concerns, and for other reasons,wireless access restriction may be an important consideration,especially in a localized area, and/or for specific time periods.

Current systems that impose some type of wireless access restrictionfunction may employ jamming equipment to block wireless signals in aparticular area. Other systems rely on shutdown of a cell or sector.These current wireless access restriction solutions do not discriminateamong users. Instead, these solutions impose a total prohibition onwireless communications. Furthermore, these current solutions arecomplicated and expensive to invoke. Finally, with these currentsolutions, if a situation requires that certain personnel (e.g.,emergency response personnel) be able to communicate using wirelesscommunications, a secondary communications network must be establishedsince jamming or cell shutdown prohibits all wireless communications fora given wireless technology.

In most cases jamming works across a spectrum of radio frequencies andjams the use of the entire spectrum regardless of the wirelesstechnology or technologies deployed in the spectrum. So in the case ofjamming, a localized communications network must be established on itsown technology, unique devices, and spectrum further complicating thesetup and operations.

Another challenge is that in most areas covered by wirelesscommunications there are typically multiple technologies operating in avariety of spectrum ranges. Jamming solutions and cell turn down areabsolute solutions that do not provide the ability to select on a deviceby device basis the ability to use the wireless communication within thetarget area.

To overcome these limitations with current art wireless communicationaccess restriction solutions, disclosed herein is an intelligent networkaccess controller, and accompanying method, which is shown in FIGS.6A-6D, that either permanently or temporarily limits allowablecommunications on an existing wireless network to only a subset of thatnetwork's normal users. Those users not in the subset of allowable usersare blocked from access to the wireless network when located in aspecified area normally covered by the wireless network and/or for aspecified time.

The intelligent network access controller provides, on a singleplatform, the necessary components for an end-to-end solution forselective communications restriction across the spectrum of wirelesstechnology, frequency, and access methodology. In an embodiment,wireless users are classified into categories and either allowed toaccess the wireless networks or are prohibited access, on asubscriber-by-subscriber basis. The intelligent network accesscontroller meets the criteria of service restriction that may berequired in specific areas, while allowing selected individuals wirelesscommunications access to wireless networks in those same areas. Thus,the intelligent network access controller eliminates the need to overlayadditional communications systems to provide targeted localized wirelesscommunications. The intelligent network access controller implements itsservice across both commercial as well as private wireless networks.

The intelligent network access controller is particularly useful incertain permanent facilities such as embassies, government facilities,prisons, military installations, stadiums and arenas, hospitals, publictransportation facilities, landmarks, and in temporary applicationsincluding disaster recovery operations and homeland security operations.In short, the intelligent network access controller can be used in anysituation or at any facility or locale to establish a controlledwireless communications environment whereby only selected individualscan access a wireless communications network.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless communications network thatincorporates an exemplary intelligent network access controller andother wireless network components to provide access restrictionfeatures. In FIG. 1, wireless network 10 includes switching center 50and base stations 60, through which devices 20 establish wirelesscommunications. Overlaying the network 10 are directional antennae 30and repeaters 40 that operate in conjunction with intelligent networkaccess controller (INAC) 100, to restrict or to allow wirelesscommunication from and to selected devices 20. The switching center 50includes standard components that may be found in any switching center,including a VLR and a HLR 52, authentication center 54, equipmentidentification register 56, a mobile switching center (MSC) 57, a packetswitch 58 and a short message service center (SMSC) 59. Ordinarily, asubscriber using a device 20 would have that device 20 registered withthe network 10 once the device 20 was within the coverage area of thenetwork 10. However, to provide access restriction on either a temporaryor a permanent basis, the INAC 100, and associated interface 200, whichfacilitates human operator interaction with the controller 100, may beused to “lock” selected devices 20 to the INAC 100, the method of whichis shown in FIG. 6A, block 430, and thus prevent access to the wirelessnetwork 10.

“Locking” the wireless devices to the INAC 100 indicates that thewireless device 20 is tuned to and has been accepted by the local signalbroadcast of the INAC 100. The INAC 100 implements a mimicked signalthat may follow the signal patterns, parameters, and characteristics ofthe underlying wireless network; however—the localized signal is onlyconnected to the INAC 100 and not the wireless network as a whole. Theend result is a wireless device that has the appearance of operating onthe wireless network; however by virtue of the wireless device 20 beingtuned to the local INAC 100 signal, the wireless device 20 is by default“locked” from access to the wireless network outside the coverage areaof the INAC 100.

A “device” or “wireless device” includes any wireless access mechanismincluding wireless handheld devices used for communications and laptopcomputers, personal digital assistants, or other computing device thatincludes wireless access technology.

A “wireless network” includes networks that provide commercial orprivate wireless access for voice, text, and or data access.

The INAC 100 may be implemented as an adjunct to the wireless network10, as an integrated feature within the wireless network, or may beimplemented as a standalone device that is independent of any specificwireless network.

The INAC 100 may be implemented as software, hardware, or a combinationof hardware and software. The INAC 100 may be implemented on a suitablyprogrammable processor.

The INAC 100 includes equipment identity module 110 that receives andstores identifying information associated with devices 20, the method ofwhich is shown in FIG. 6B, block 443; access module 120 that determines,based on setup or operational mode of the INAC 100, which of the devices20 are to be allowed access to the wireless communications network 10;locking module 125, which is used to lock a device 20 to the INAC 100and to provide indications to the locked device 20 that make it appearthat the device 20 actually is registered with the wireless network 10;power control module 130, which operates in conjunction with basestation 60, RF distribution equipment 62, amplifiers 64 directionalantennae 30 and repeaters 40 to establish, per FIG. 6A, block 410, thearea subject to the access restrictions imposed by the INAC 100; timingmodule 140, which may be used to impose temporal limitations on theaccess restriction functions per FIG. 6B, block 446; and emergencyaccess module 150, which operates as shown in FIG. 6D, blocks 461-465,to allow certain access types (e.g., emergency 911 calls from a wirelessdevice 20) while other access types remain blocked.

The INAC 100 provides, as shown in FIG. 6A, block 440 and FIG. 6B,blocks 442-445, discretionary blocking of access to and from devices 20by recognizing differences among the devices 20. In an embodiment, theINAC 100 recognizes three categories of subscriber devices 20:restricted, allowed, and unknown. Restricted devices are those that areidentified as belonging to subscribers who are to be denied wirelessaccess (e.g., prisoners, terrorists). Restricted devices are configuredby the INAC 100 so as not to be allowed cellular service and access tothe wireless network 10. Every device 20 has a unique identifying numberor characteristic, which is determined as shown in FIG. 6A, block 440.If the device identifying number or characteristic (e.g., subscribernumber) is configured to be “restricted,” the INAC 100 accepts thatdevice's access and returns a positive acknowledgement to the device perFIG. 6C, block 452. This creates the illusion, at the subscriber'sdevice 20, that the subscriber has gained access to and is operatingwithin the wireless network 10, when, in fact, the device 20 is lockedto the INAC 100 until the device 20 is removed from the restrictedaccess area imposed by the INAC 100. By locking the “restricted” device20 to the INAC 100, all incoming and outgoing accesses by the device 20are prevented while the “restricted” device 20 is within the restrictedaccess area, the method of which is shown in FIG. 6C, blocks 452 and454.

Allowed devices are those configured in the INAC 100 as to be allowedwireless service. After determining the identity of the device 20, anddetermining that the device 20 is an “allowed” device, the INAC 100redirects the device 20 from the INAC 100 to the appropriate wirelessnetwork 10, as shown in FIG. 6C, block 458. This redirection forces the“allowed” device to reattempt access on the wireless network 10. Once soredirected, the “allowed” device's subscriber can use the device 20 fornormal inbound and outbound traffic. See FIG. 6A, blocks 420, 440, 450,and 460.

Unknown devices 20 are those not specifically configured by the INAC 100as allowed or restricted. Unknown devices 20 may be configured to allownormal wireless network access depending, for example, on a securitylevel requirement at a given location (e.g., for homeland securitythreat conditions of orange and lower, unknown devices are allowedaccess to the wireless network 10), as shown in FIG. 6C, blocks 454 and456.

The INAC 100 operates as a local overlay or underlay of the samefrequency spectrum and configuration as the wireless network 10. Thearea of restricted access can extend to any part of the coverage area ofthe wireless network 10, and such restricted area may be enforced by theuse of the power control module 130, directional antennae 30, andrepeaters 40. Thus, the restricted area under control of the INAC 100may be limited to a building, a sports stadium, or a geographical area,for example. The area of restricted wireless access is not necessarilystatic, and can be changed based on set criteria or at the discretion ofa network operator. The end result is a targeted coverage area that canprovide controlled and deterministic wireless communications access bysubscribers. Once a restricted, or an unknown, subscriber's device 20leaves the restricted access area, the subscriber's device 20re-registers with the wireless network 10 and is no longer controlled(locked) by the INAC 100.

When the subscriber's device 20 is locked to the INAC 100, the lockingmodule 125 operates to ensure that the device's display and apparentoperation are the same as if the device 20 were registered with thewireless network 10. A subscriber who attempts to use a device 20 lockedto the INAC 100 will see a failed access attempt, or similar warning.The subscriber's perception would likely then be that the device 20 wasnot receiving sufficient signal strength to enable wirelesscommunications or the serving wireless network did not have therequisite capacity to service the access request. This further masks thepurpose and operation of the INAC 100. Only after a repeated pattern ofaccess denial is established would the typical subscriber discern therestricted access.

The INAC 100 can be configured to provide various levels of accessdepending on the configuration of the subscriber devices 20 and thelevel of security required for the access. The INAC's operational modemay be changed dynamically, either automatically, or manually. Automaticchanges may be programmed using the interface 200. Examples of automaticchanges are changes programmed into the INAC 100 based on time of day,day of week, or some other calendar-based criteria; the occurrence of aspecific event (e.g., a concert); changes in threat levels (e.g.,homeland security threat conditions—yellow, orange, etc.); and changesin an operational profile or physical location (of the INAC 100 or ofthe wireless device 20) (e.g., an aircraft descending below 10,000 feet,a ship entering port, a train arriving at a station). Manual changes maybe implemented directly by a system operator by using the interface 200.For any of the modes of operation, the INAC 100 provides a loggingmechanism to track all system access attempts and the resulting status.Additionally the INAC 100 provides capability to view the existingdatabase information including the allowed and restricted lists, systemconfiguration, system statistics, and log of system activity.

The INAC's operational modes include disabled, wherein the accessrestrictions imposable by the INAC 100 are suspended; hold all, orvirtual jam, wherein all wireless communications are processed as lockedto the INAC 100; unknown allowed, wherein only known “restricted”devices are locked to the INAC 100; and unknown blocked, in which bothrestricted and unknown devices are locked to the INAC 100. FIG. 2illustrates an exemplary interface 210 produced by the interface 200 andthe INAC 100 for enabling wireless access restrictions. Additionally,the INAC 100 can also operate in a passive mode where all subscriberaccess is redirected to the appropriate wireless network.

As subscribers access the INAC 100, and either are locked to the INAC100 or redirected to the wireless network 10, the INAC 100 capturesaccess information that can be used to generate access reports for eachtype of device 20 (i.e., unknown, bad, or good). The reports provide anorganized analysis as to which users are accessing the system, includingtime period, call duration, and frequency of use. The reports alsoprovide useful information for establishing system databases and use ofthe INAC 100.

An optional feature of the INAC 100 is emergency access override toallow processing of emergency access, the method of which is shown inFIG. 6D, blocks 461-465. Depending on the type of installation and thesecurity requirements, emergency access may need to be available, andthus may be enabled or disabled. Emergency access can be configuredbased on each type of subscriber device; restricted, allowed, orunknown. FIG. 3 is an interface 220 that allows a system operator toenable or disable emergency access for each of the three subscriberdevice types (restricted, allowed, and unknown). When emergency accessis enabled, per FIG. 6D, blocks 461-465, the emergency access module 150of the INAC 100 allows the subscriber's device 20 to be redirected tothe wireless network 10 when that device 20 dials an emergency accessnumber such as 911. Upon completion of the emergency access, thesubscriber's device 20 returns to a locked to INAC condition, asappropriate. When emergency access is disabled, the INAC 100 ignores allcall access from subscribers whose devices 20 are locked to the INAC100.

The INAC 100 provides for location sensitive operations, an example ofwhich, as noted above, involves an aircraft. The INAC 100 may beinstalled on an aircraft so that certain devices (e.g., those of crewmembers) may be used for wireless communications at any time.Alternatively, the INAC 100 may be used to control access to wirelesscommunications based on the aircraft's location (latitude, longitude,and altitude) or any aspect or aircraft operation.

The INAC 100 may include an optional security and intercept module 160that is used for lawful intercept of wireless communications using adirect Internet connection (or other available connection type) to amonitoring station. When enabled at the INAC 100, the security andintercept module 160 allows law enforcement personnel to monitor andrecord conversations and data transfers (packet and circuit), callsignaling messages, accessed features, and SMS originated or terminatedmessages for targeted wireless devices that are currently locked to theINAC 100 and allowed localized services on the INAC 100 system.

There are many possible deployment options for the INAC 100. Forexample, the INAC 100 may be implemented as a permanent part of thewireless communications network 10. The INAC 100 also may be implementedas a standalone device that overlays one or more wireless communicationsnetworks so that all wireless communications in a specific location arecapable of some form of access restriction. One example of this wirelessfeature is to establish an INAC 100 at a building, a facility, or acampus.

Installation of the INAC 100 as part of a network, or as a standalonedevice can be permanent or temporary. For example, the INAC 100 may beavailable as a mobile device, along with the necessary amplifiers, RFdistribution, antennae and repeaters, so that a disaster recoveryoperation may invoke wireless access restrictions in the area where thedisaster recovery is taking place. Upon completion of the disasterrecovery operations, the access limitation area is disestablished.

When the INAC 100 operates to restrict wireless communications by way ofa wireless network, there may still be a need to provide some form ofprivate network communications in the wireless access limited area, themethod of which is shown in FIG. 6D, blocks 466-468. To provide thisadditional functionality, the INAC 100 may include a private networkmodule 170 that allows for limited wireless voice communications usingeither a commercial technology such as GSM or CDMA, or voice over IP(VoIP) technology, including session initiated protocol/unlicensedmobile access (SIP/UMA). As additional wireless technologies becomeviable, these can be added to the private network solution as well. Theprivate network module 170 also allows for connection to a PBX or PSTN.

The INAC 100 may also provide the capability to individually access thelocked wireless devices overtly or covertly thus allowing the exchangeof information or enabling the ability to provoke action from thewireless device.

As noted above, the INAC 100 may be used to control wireless access forone wireless technology, and/or for one frequency range, or for multipletechnologies and frequency ranges. FIGS. 4 and 5 show thisfunctionality, with examples of current wireless protocols illustrated.One skilled in the art will appreciate that other protocols would applyequally, including wireless protocols to be developed in the future. InFIG. 4, the INAC 100 is used to create restricted wireless access area300 as an overly to wireless network 10, where the wireless network 10and the restricted access area 300 are based on GSM 1800 protocols. InFIG. 5, three wireless technologies are shown and, correspondingly,three restricted access areas (300, 300′, 300″). In a furtheralternative, the INAC 100 may be used to create restricted access areasfor only a subset of the protocols of a multi-protocol wireless network.

FIGS. 6A-6D illustrate an embodiment of a method for creating a localwireless network and for controlling wireless communications using thelocal wireless network.

We claim:
 1. A method implemented by an intelligent network accesscontroller coupled to wireless communication hardware for controllingwireless communications in a targeted coverage area of a local wirelessnetwork overlaying an existing wireless network, comprising theintelligent network access controller: controlling the hardware toprovoke wireless devices within the targeted coverage area of the localwireless network to attempt to register with the intelligent networkaccess controller; receiving, through the hardware, registration signalsand identification information from the wireless devices; locking thewireless devices to the intelligent network access controller;determining an access category for each of the wireless devices based onthe received registration signals and identification information;maintaining first access category wireless devices locked to theintelligent network access controller while the first access categorywireless devices remain in the targeted coverage area of the localwireless network; and unlocking second category wireless devices bycontrolling the hardware to signal the second access category wirelessdevices to attempt access to the existing wireless network.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising the intelligent network accesscontroller: allowing limited wireless communications access for thefirst category wireless devices, wherein the intelligent network accesscontroller controls the hardware to generate signals to: direct thefirst access category wireless devices to attempt registration with theexisting wireless network for a specific communication, and redirect thefirst access category wireless device to re-register with theintelligent network access controller after completion of the specificcommunication.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising theintelligent network access controller establishing the targeted coveragearea and the local wireless network.
 4. The method of claim 3, whereinlocal wireless network overlays less than an entire coverage area of theexisting wireless network.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein thetargeted coverage area is less than an area of the local wirelessnetwork.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the intelligent networkaccess controller establishes multiple targeted coverage areas, themultiple targeted coverage areas corresponding to different wirelesstechnologies.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the intelligent networkaccess controller establishes multiple targeted coverage areas, whereinat least one of the multiple targeted coverage areas is different ingeographic coverage from the other multiple targeted coverage areas. 8.The method of claim 1, wherein the first access category wirelessdevices comprise known, restricted wireless devices and unknown wirelessdevices, and the second category wireless devices comprise known,unrestricted wireless devices.
 9. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising, upon receiving a registration signal from a wireless device,providing a positive acknowledgement to the wireless device therebycreating an illusion to a user of the wireless device that the wirelessdevice is registered with and operating on the existing wirelessnetwork.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the targeted coverage areaexists in three dimensions.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein thehardware comprises one or more base stations, switching centers, andantennae.
 12. A system for controlling communications in a targetedcoverage area overlaying an existing wireless network, comprising:wireless communications distribution hardware; and an intelligentnetwork access controller coupled to the wireless communicationsdistribution hardware, comprising: an equipment identity module thatreceives and stores information identifying wireless devices that enterthe targeted coverage area, and access and locking modules thatdetermine which of the wireless devices in the targeted coverage areaare allowed access to the existing wireless network by: establishing anattraction process that provokes the wireless devices within thetargeted coverage area to register with the intelligent network accesscontroller; locking the registered wireless devices to the intelligentnetwork access controller; and establishing access limitations for theregistered wireless devices, comprising: preventing wirelesscommunication access for first category wireless devices, wherein theintelligent network access controller provides to the first categorywireless devices, an appearance of operating on the wireless network,and allowing unlimited wireless communications for second categorywireless devices, wherein the intelligent network access controllerredirects the second category wireless devices to attempt registrationwith the existing wireless network.
 13. The system of claim 12, furthercomprising: allowing limited wireless communications access for thefirst category wireless devices, wherein the intelligent network accesscontroller: directs the first category wireless devices to attemptregistration with the existing wireless network for a specificcommunication; and upon completion of the specific communication,redirects the second wireless device to re-register with the intelligentwireless network access controller.
 14. The system of claim 13, whereinthe specific communication is an emergency communication carried overthe existing wireless network.
 15. The system of claim 13, wherein theintelligent network access controller further comprises a privatenetwork module used to establish a private network within the targetedcoverage area, and wherein the specific communication is carried overthe private network.
 16. A system for dynamically controlling wirelesscommunications in a targeted coverage area overlaying a portion of anexisting wireless network, comprising a non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium having encoded thereon a program of instructions that,when executed by a controller, cause the controller to: establish anattraction process that provokes wireless devices within the targetedcoverage area overlaying the portion of the existing wireless network toattempt to register with the controller, receive a registration signalfrom a wireless device; lock the wireless device to the controller;determine an access category for the wireless device; block wirelesscommunication access on the existing wireless network for first categorywireless devices within the targeted coverage area; and allow unlimitedwireless communications on the existing wireless network for secondcategory wireless devices within the targeted coverage area, wherein thecontroller redirects the second category wireless devices to attemptregistration with the existing wireless network.
 17. The system of claim16, further comprising the controller allowing limited wirelesscommunications access for first category wireless devices, wherein thecontroller: directs the first category wireless devices to attemptregistration with the existing wireless network for a specificcommunication; and after completion of the specific communication,redirects the first category wireless device to re-register with thecontroller.
 18. The system of claim 16, wherein the controllerestablishes the targeted coverage area as the overlay to the portion ofthe existing wireless network.
 19. The system of claim 16, wherein thecontroller provides to the first category wireless devices, anappearance of operating on the existing wireless network.
 20. The systemof claim 16, wherein the first category wireless devices are known,restricted wireless devices and the second category wireless devices areknown, unrestricted wireless devices and unknown wireless devices.